Aakash Chopra, a former cricket player for India, has spoken out about the issue surrounding Virat Kohli‘s fitness test for the 2025–2026 season that was conducted outside of India. According to recent reports, all other cricket players underwent testing at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE), whereas Kohli’s test was held in London.
Chopra, however, brushed down the controversy, saying that even if Kohli’s test was held outside of India, it shouldn’t be a point of contention because there is no official confirmation of its location.
“At this time, these are merely hearsay and conjectures. The fact that Virat Kohli took his fitness test in London while others took it in Bengaluru is not confirmed or explained. He wasn’t here, of course, but we haven’t seen any photos of him doing it in London either. “How does it matter even if he has, let’s say he did?” he added through CREX.
In addition, he proposed that Kohli’s case might serve as a model for similar situations in the future when a player is unavailable in India.
This would allow the BCCI to administer the test anywhere in the globe without having to wait for the relevant players to be in India.
“To be honest, he simply established the standard that anyone else can administer the fitness test from there the next time. You establish a boundary that this is the norm if someone does this once. That rule might not require everyone to travel to Bengaluru. “Let them take the test wherever someone is available,” he continued.
“This is the new normal if there is any truth to it at all. I take it that neither you nor I will be troubled or concerned about it? He came to a conclusion.
In the meanwhile, India will compete in the Asia Cup, which starts on September 9 in the United Arab Emirates. On September 10, the team captained by Suyakumar Yadav will play their first match against the UAE, the hosts.